Each one of us has to save his own soul, and has to do…
““Each one of us has to save his own soul, and has to do God's work himself, but instead of that we busy ourselves saving other people and teaching them. And what do we teach them? We teach them now, at the end of the nineteenth century, that God created the world in six days, then caused a flood, and put all the animals in an ark, and all the rest of the horrors and nonsense of the Old Testament. And then that Christ ordered everyone to be baptized with water; and we make them believe in all the absurdity and meanness of an Atonement essential to salvation; and then that he rose up into the heavens which do not really exist, and there sat down at the right hand of the Father. We have got used to all this, but really it is dreadful! A child, fresh and ready to receive all that is good and true, asks us what the world is, and what its laws are; and we, instead of revealing to him the teaching of love and truth that has been given to us, carefully ram into his head all sorts of horrible absurdities and meannesses, ascribing them all to God.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Tolstoy criticizes religious dogma that distracts individuals from personal moral responsibility and authentic love.
In simple terms: Religion can distract from personal truth.
Key Takeaway
Focus on love and truth over doctrine.
Themes
religion
morality
individualism
Mood
critical
reflective
Type
philosophical
critical
When to use this quote
- parenting
- education
- faith discussions
- personal growth
Key Concepts
dogma
personal responsibility
spiritual authenticity
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we teach love without imposing dogma?
- What personal truths guide your life?
A Different Perspective
Religious teachings can be misused to control thought.